Nonrefillable bottle stopper



Feb, 25 1935.

W. H. KERN NONREFILLABLE BOTTLE STOPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 29, 1934 Patented Feb. 25, 1936 roams PATENTv OFFICE 2,031,715 NONREFILI IABLE BOTTLE STOPPER William H. Kern, Jersey City, N. J., 'assignor to Associated Inventions, Inc., Jersey City, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application September 29, 1934, Serial No. 746,164

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a non-refillable bottle stopper adapted to prevent unauthorized and fraudulent refilling of the bottle with which it is associated.

"* It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this class which is of simple construction and which is efficient in operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which is tamper-proof, and which 6 cannot be rendered inoperative, irrespective of the method employed in an attempt to refill the bottle.

It is a further object of the invention topro-- vide a non-refillable bottle stopper which will '5 not retard the flow of liquid from the bottle during the normal pouring operation. With a device made in accordance with this invention, the pouring of the bottle contents is actually facilitated, and liquid may be poured from a bottle equipped with this device more easily than from a conventional bottle.

The invention consists in the new and improved combination of parts and details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings and described below.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a nonrefillable bottle stopper made in accordance with my invention.

line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of certain parts of the device, showing the manner of assembly.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative form of guard element which-may be used with the device of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of valve.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional View of a modi Referring to the form of theinvention disclosed.

in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, I provide a. cylindrical sleeve ll terminating upwardly in a mouth [2 of reduceddiameter having an internal shoulder I3 at its inner end. At the lower end of the sleeve there is an aperture 14 of reduced diameter com municating with the interior l5 of the bottle 16,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken on The margins 20 of the aperture [4 in trans- 5- verse member I! constitute a valve seat for a valve 2|. This valve may take a number of different forms, but the one disclosed herein is preferred. It comprises a metallic shell formed at its lower end into a substantially semi-spherical head 22 adapted to seat upon and close the aperture l4. At the margins of the head 22 there are provided a plurality of integral, upwardly extending guiding portions 23 spaced or separated by fluid passages and having peripheral surfaces loosely and slidably engaging the inner periphery of the sleeve ll.

Within the metallic shell which forms the valve element, there is placed a filler 25 of buoyant material, such as cork. The filler is provided with 20,

a lower rounded portion 26 adapted to fill the interior of the valve head 22, and an upper body portion 21 adapted to be disposed inwardly of the several guide fingers 23. The periphery of the body portion 21 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal grooves 28 having upwardly and inwardly inclined bottom walls, as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. When the parts are assembled, the grooves 28 are disposed in registry with the spaces 24 between the guide portions 23 of the valve. The grooves, in combination with the spaces 24, constitute passages for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, as will be described below.

A guard member 30 is positioned in the sleeve l l above the valve 2| and below the shoulder [3. This guard is adapted to prevent access to the valve by the insertion of a wire or other tool downwardly through the pouring mouth l2. The guard comprises a transverse body 3| presenting an upwardly disposed imperforate face to the pouring mouth. A plurality of spaced longitudinally disposed guide members 32 are secured to the margins of the body 3|, and these members have peripheral surfaces loosely and slidably engaging the inner periphery of the upper portion of the sleeve II, for limited reciprocating movement therein.

The spaces 33 between the members 32 constitute passages around the imperforate body 3 I, for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation. In some cases it may be found desirable'to provide means to maintain the spaces 33 in longitudinal alignment with the spaces 34 and grooves 28, while in other cases such means may be found unnecessary. Appropriate pins, ribs, grooves, or the like can be employed on the sleeve H, guard 30 or valve 2|, or on any or all of them, to effect this desired longitudinal alignment,

The form of guard shown in Figure 4 differs somewhat from the one shown in Figures 1 and 2, and will be found advantageous from a production point of view. In this form, a body 3| is provided, and a plurality of spaced downwardly extending guide fingers 32 are formed integrally therewith. Also, a plurality of upwardly disposed guide fingers 33 are provided in circumferentially staggered relation to the first mentioned ones. A guard of this form may be stamped from a single piece of sheet metal, and the fingers 32 struck downwardly while the fingers 33' are struck upwardly.

With the form of the device shown in Figure l, the cylindrical sleeve and transverse member I! may be secured within the neck of a bottle above the shoulder I8 by means of a layer of any, suitable adhesive 34. Alternatively, some other securing'means may be used to hold the parts in position, such as a spun metal capsule surrounding the projecting portion of the stopper and the adjacent outer surface of the bottle neck.

The forms of the invention shown in Figures 6 to 10 inclusive differ from the form heretofore described principally with respect to the specific construction of the guard, the sleeve, and the means for securing the parts in desired relation within the neck of the bottle.

Referring to Figure 6, a sleeve 35 is shown, having an annular inwardly extending flange 36 providing an aperture 31 of reduced diameter. A valve assembly 2|, which may be substantially like that previously described, is positioned in the sleeve above the aperture 31. Spaced above the valve is a guard 38 in the form of a cup or thimble. The upper end portion 39 of the guard is of reduced diameter, and the lower enlarged end has its periphery in contact with the inner surface of the sleeve. The upper transverse portion 40 is imperforate and effectively prevents the insertion of a tool or wire into the valve chamber therebelow'. The side walls of the reduced portion 39 are provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 4| which may be in the form of holesor slots.

The inner periphery of the bottle neck Hi and the outer periphery of the sleeve 35 are provided with mating grooves 42, adapted to receive a retaining ring or wire 43. A portion of the ring is disposed in the groove in the bottle neck and another portion in the groove on the surface of the sleeve, and therefore the parts cannot be separated after they are once assembled. A packing 44 may conveniently be placed in an appropriate groove on the outer surface of the sleeve to prevent leakage between .the sleeve and bottle neck.

The guard thimble 38 may be secured within the sleeve by a retaining ring 45 disposed in mating grooves formed respectively on the outer periphery of the lower enlarged portion of the guard and on the inner periphery of the sleeve. Thus, when the parts are once assembled as shown in Figure 6, it is impossible to disassemble them without first breaking the neck of the bottle,

The device of Figures 8, 9 and 10 differs from that of Figures 6 and 7 only in' the manner in which the sleeve 35 is secured within the bottle neck. In this form, the sleeve is provided with an outwardly projecting circumferential shoulder 46 adjacent its upper end, adapted to contact the upper end of the bottle neck to limit downward movement of the sleeve. A sheet metal band or capsule 48 has an inwardly pro- J'ecting annular flange 49 which overlies the flange 45, and a skirt portion 50 embracing the outer surface of the bottle neck. A retaining ring 5| may be employed to secure the capsule 48 in place, or any other convenient means may be substituted.

In place of the two-piece valve, comprising the shell and filler shown in Figure 3, a one-piece valve of the form of Figure 5 may be used. This valve may be out from a piece of cork, or may be molded from a granulated cork and binder composition. It comprises a valve head portion 55 and a plurality of upwardly extending spaced guide fingers 56. The spaces 51 between the fingers correspond to the peripheral passages provided in the first form of the valve and described above. It should be noted that the spaces between the fingers merge with grooves 58, extending to the margins of the head 55.

A non-refillable bottle stopper made in accordance with the present invention is tamperproof, and a bottle with which such a device is associated cannot be refilled. The valve will always remain upon its seat when the bottle is held in upright position, so that liquid poured into the pouring mouth l2 cannot flow into the interior of the bottle. large area of the valve embraced by the aperture I4, the valve will not be floated from its seat after liquid is poured into the interior of the sleeve above the transverse member I! or 36. Moreover, in the first form of the invention, the weight of the movable guard 30 resting upon the valve will maintain it in closed position, if such an attempt is made to float it from the seat.

If an attempt is made to fill the bottle by inversion and immersion of the same in a body of liquid, the buoyant character of the valve will cause the same to float upwardly in the liquid to closed position, against the valve seat. It should be noted that, in all forms of the invention, the valve is free to move away from the guard to closed position when the bottle is inverted.

The specific structure of the valve and guard of the present invention results in a greatly improved pouring operation. The several spaced peripheral grooves provided on the valve body, and the several passages around the imperforate head of the guard, constitute conduits adapted respectively to facilitate the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation. As a result, the outflowing liquid presents substantially no interference to the inflowing air, and the formation of relatively large air pockets and vacuum areas in the bottle is effectively prevented. When the bottle is held in the usual inclined pouring position, the lowermost grooves constitute passages for the outflowing liquid, while the passages on the upper portion of the peripheral surface of the valve act as separate passages for infiowing air.

The size, shape, and material of the filler 25, or of the valve body 55 may be varied considerably to give the valve as a whole the desired buoyancy. The specific gravity of the valve as a whole can be changed by substituting one type of buoyant material for another and also by increasing or decreasing the size of the body. Thus an accurate control over the floating tendency of the valve may be effected.

Although the device of the present invention has been described with some particularity in the present specification, it: must be understood that the invention is not limited to. the details thereof, but covers all such. devices as fall: Within the scope of the appended claims, or their equivalents.

I claim:

1. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a cylindrical sleeve adapted to be attached to the neck of a bottle, a guard in said sleeve adapted to permit the flow of liquid therethrough but to prevent the insertion of a tool therebelow, a valve seat at the lower end of said sleeve, and. a valve mounted for limited reciprocating movement between said guard and seat, said valve comprising a downwardly disposed head adapted to rest upon said seat and a plurality of upwardly extending, spaced guiding portions having surfaces slidably engaging said sleeve and joining. said head at their lower ends and adapted to limit upward movement of said valve by contact with said guard, the spaces between said guiding portions constituting passages for the outflow of liquid. and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation.

2. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a cylindrical sleeve adapted to be attached to the neck of a bottle, a guard in said sleeve adapted to permit the flow of liquid therethrough but to prevent the insertion of a tool therebelow, a valve seat at the lower end of said sleeve, and a valve mounted for limited reciprocating movement between said guard and seat, said valve comprising a head having its margins spaced from the inner periphery of said sleeve, and having a plurality of upwardly disposed spaced guiding portions projecting upwardly above and outwardly beyond said head and disposed in sliding fit with said sleeve, the spaces between the margins of said head and the sleeve, and the spaces between said guiding portions constituting passages for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation.

3. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a cylindrical sleeve adapted to be associated with the neck of a bottle, a guard in said sleeve, a valve seat adjacent the lower end of the sleeve, and a valve disposed above said seat for limited reciprocating movement between the seat and guard, said valve comprising a substantially semispherical head adapted to rest upon said seat when closed, and an upwardly extending apertured skirt having its outer surface spaced outwardly from the circumference of said head, said surface slidably engaging said sleeve, the apertures in said skirt serving as passages to permit liquid flowing past said valve in the normal pouring operation to flow into the interior of said skirt and thence past said guard out of the bottle.

4. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a sleeve adapted to be inserted in the neck of a bottle and having an aperture at the lower end thereof of reduced diameter provided with margins serving as a valve seat, a valve above the seat, and a guard thereabove adapted to prevent access to said valve from the outside of the bottle, said valve comprising a metallic shell terminating at its lower end in a rounded hollow head and at its other end in a plurality of spaced upwardly extending guide fingers slidable along the wall of said sleeve, and a buoyant filler for said shell, said filler comprising an upper body portion disposed inwardly of said fingers and provided with longitudinal peripheral grooves registering with the spaces between said: fingers, said spaces and registering grooves together comprising. a plurality of independent passages, certain of said passages serving for the outflow of liquid and others for the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, whereby the formation of vacuum pockets in the bottle is prevented and an even. flow of liquid eifected, said filler serving to impart buoyancy to the valve as a whole to prevent refilling by inversion and immersion.

5. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a cylindrical sleeve adapted to be attached in the neck of a bottle, a guard in said sleeve, a valve seat at the lower end of said sleeve, and a buoyant valve mounted for limited reciprocating movement between said guard and seat, said valve comprising a head adapted to rest upon said seat and having formed integrally therewith a plurality of upwardly extending, spaced guiding portions disposed in sliding fit with said sleeve and adapted to limit the upward movement of the valve by contact at their upper ends with said guard, the spaces between said portions constituting passages for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, said guard comprising an axially elongated peripheral portion engaging the inner periphery of the sleeve and a transverse portion presenting an imperforate face to the pouring mouth of the stopper.

6. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a cylindrical sleeve adapted to be attached in the neck of a bottle, a guard in said sleeve, a valve seat at the lower end of said sleeve, and a valve mounted for limited reciprocating movement between said guard and .seat, said valve comprising a head adapted to rest upon said seat and a plurality of upwardly extending, spaced fingers secured at their lower ends to said head, the spaces between said fingers constituting passages for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, said guard comprising an axially elongated peripheral portion slidably engaging the inner periphery of the sleeve and a transverse portion presenting an imperforate face to the pouring mouth of the stopper.

7. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a cylindrical sleeve adapted to be attached in the neck of a bottle, a guard in said sleeve, a valve seat at the lower end of said sleeve, and a buoyant valve mounted for limited reciprocating movement between said guard and seat, said valve comprising a head adapted to rest upon said seat and a plurality of upwardly extending, spaced guide fingers secured at their lower ends to said head, the spaces between said fingers constituting passages for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, said guard comprising a transverse body presenting an imperforate surface to the pouring mouth of the bottle and a plurality of longitudinally disposed spaced guide fingers extending substantially parallel to the axis of the sleeve and secured to the margin of said body and disposed in slidable relation to the inner periphery of said sleevefor limited reciprocating movement in an axial direction therein, the spaces between said fingers constituting passages around said body for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, said guard constituting a weight to prevent the valve being floated from its seat during an attempted refilling operation.

8. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a cylindrical sleeve adapted to be attached to the neck of a bottle, a guard'in said sleeve, a valve seat at the lower end of said sleeve, and a valve mounted for limited reciprocating movement between said guard and seat, said valve comprising a head adapted to rest upon said seat and a plurality of upwardly extending, spaced guiding portions joining said head at their lower ends, the spaces between said portions constituting passages for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, said guard comprising a. transverse body presenting an imperforate surface to the pouring mouth of the stopper and a plurality of spaced upwardly struck fingers and a plurality of spaced downwardly struck fingers, the latter being offset, circumferentially from the former, said fingers being integrally secured to the margins of said body and disposed in slidable relation to the inner periphery of said sleeve, the spaces between said fingers comprising passages around said body for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation.

9. A non-refillable bottle stopper comprising a cylindrical sleeve provided at its lower end with an aperture of reduced diameter having margins forming a valve seat, a buoyant valve mounted'for limited reciprocating movement in said sleeve above said seat and a slidably mounted guard in the sleeve above the valve, said valve comprising a head adapted to close said aperture and an upper body portion provided with spaced longitudinal peripheral grooves adapted to serve respectively as passages for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, said guard comprising a body portion presenting an imperforate face to the pouring mouth of the stopper and a plurality of spaced longitudinally disposed peripheral guide members disposed in slidable relation to the inner periphery of the sleeve, the spaces between said guide members being longitudinally aligned with the peripheral grooves on said valve body and serving as passages around the guard body for the outflow of liquid and the inflow of air during the normal pouring operation, whereby the formation of vacuum pockets in the bottle is prevented and an even flow of liquid effected, said slidable guard serving as a weight to prevent the buoyant valve being floated away from its seat in an attempted refilling operation.

WILLIAM H. KERN. 

